Adam Kirsch and Adam Taub
The Z Word: Reclaiming Zionism
Summary
Adam Kirsch discusses his essay The Z Word: Reclaiming Zionism (JQ260 June 2025), in conversation with Adam Taub. In the aftermath of October 7, Zionism has increasingly been used by critics of Israel as a term of derision. From university campuses to TikTok and Twitter/X, the term is employed as a self-evident slur that presumes that Zionists are racist and supremacist. Yet, as Adam Kirsch writes in this ground breaking essay, the challenge for Jews today is not merely to counter attempts to distort and corrupt the meaning and origins of Zionism. The Jewish people, he argues, do not need to defend the term – they need to reclaim it. The Z Word reckons with the current trajectory of a people: in an age in which Jewish existence is under threat, the promise of Zionism is essential. This session is in partnership with the Jewish Literary Foundation and the Jewish Quarterly. Use code JQ20 for 20% off an annual subscription to Jewish Quarterly.
Adam Kirsch
Adam Kirsch is the author of several books of poetry and criticism. A 2016 Guggenheim Fellow, Kirsch is an editor at the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Review section and has written for publications including The New Yorker and Tablet. He lives in New York.
Adam Taub
Adam Taub studied natural sciences and law. He practiced in the field of intellectual property before setting up a consultancy that coaches senior executives. He has a MA in education from University College London. He has been a lecturer at the London School of Jewish Studies for 20 years and is the cofounder of a charity called Etgar that aims to inspire a love of Jewish learning in young Jewish students.